Engage – Tor.com’s “Star Trek: The Next Generation” Rewatch Begins!

from Tor.com:

Join Star Trek novelist Keith DeCandido as he rewatches The Next Generation every Monday and Thursday! He has already embarked with “Encounter at Farpoint” and “The Naked Now.” Don’t miss this chance to reminisce about all your favorite Star Trek episodes!

The Star Trek Movie Marathon ended last week, so there’s still time to say goodbye to the original Enterprise crew. Star Trek author A.C. Crispin remembers being enchanted by The Undiscovered Country and how it led to the books she would eventually write. We also give a vote of confidence for Generations, asking the important question: was it worth it?

“Indiana Jones and the Adventure of Archaeology” Exhibition: Join the Adventure Today!

from X3 Productions:

Don’t Wait in Line
Buy Your Tickets Online!

Indiana Jones landed in Montréal! Indeed, the Montréal Science Centre presents the world premiere of the Indiana Jones and the Adventure of Archaeology exhibition, from April 28 to September 18, 2011. The exhibition will then embark on a tour of museums in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. The exhibition uses the Indiana Jones film series as both a starting point and a backdrop for an exciting and educational introduction to the real science of field archaeology.

Showcasing items from four different collections, Indiana Jones and the Adventure of Archaeology is far more than a static display of movie props. The entire experience is enhanced with the handheld interactive video companion that informs visitors about what they see with audio, text and video, and it gives all a chance to create their own “quest” through the exhibition. An interactive treasure hunt lets children, young and old, experience the science of archaeology while having fun.

Made possible by Lucasfilm Ltd., presented by the National Geographic Society and produced by Montreal’s X3 Productions, the exhibition is aimed at kids of all ages, Indy fans, history buffs and budding adventurers and explorers.

CONTEST!
Join the adventure on a special Indiana Jones evening June 15 at the Science Center!
Win a pair of tickets to the exhibition and attend a lecture on archaeology in the company of Fredrik Hiebert, Archaeologist and Associate Professor at the National Geographic Society and scientific advisor to the exhibition.

To participate click here.
Winners will be drawn on June 6th!
Contest rules are available at the main office of X3 Productions:
400, Maisonneuve Blvd West, 9th floor, Montréal (Québec), H3A 1L4

Exhibitions Inc. is not a sponsor of this Sweepstakes.
All Sweepstakes winners must release Exhibitions Inc. and its subsidiary, affiliated or related entities and divisions and their respective officers, employees, directors, shareholders, successors, licensees, agents or assigns.

montrealsciencecentre.com
indianajonestheexhibition.com
Montreal Science Centre Box Office
2, De la Commune Street West

New Japanese Pop Group Supercell Releases First Single “THE WORLD IS MINE feat. Hatsune Miku” in U.S.

Supercell: THE WORLD IS MINE feat. Hatsune Miku

from VIZ Media:

Sony Music Direct (Japan) Inc., a division of Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc. has announced the U.S. release of the first single — “THE WORLD IS MINE feat. Hatsune Miku” — by the Japanese pop group Supercell. The track is available now on Amazon (Amazon.com) and iTunes (iTunes.com).

Supercell is composed of a group of innovative multimedia creators for the 21st Century that blends catchy pop sensibilities, technology-inspired vocals, and captivating anime-influenced imagery. For the new single, “THE WORLD IS MINE,” the group employs the electronic vocals of Hatsune Miku, the world’s first virtual pop idol. Hatsune Miku, whose name means, “first sound of the future,” is a digital female avatar and the most popular of the Vocaloid Character Series software originally created by Crypton Future Media using Yamaha’s Vocaloid 2 engine to create synthesized vocal tracks.

In Japan, the popularity of Hatsune Miku has become a national phenomenon. She has appeared in several video games and music videos and has also performed several sellout “concerts,” where she appeared on stage as a 3D hologram, backed by a live band. Most recently she also appears in a new commercial for the U.S. market for the 2011 Toyota Corolla. The spot is also available on YouTube, and since its debut on May 4th, the segment has received more than 700,000 hits.

Supercell is a league of creators led by composer/lyricist Ryo, who produces the music and writes the lyrics. Ryo tapped other creators to provide an array of vivid illustrations, animation, design, and photography for album booklets, CD cases and music videos. On “THE WORLD IS MINE,” artwork features illustrations by Redjuice, a member of the league. Led by composer Ryo, Supercell’s songs were initially posted on the Nico Nico Douga video sharing service in Japan and quickly garnered more than 20 million views, feeding a frenzied interest in the group that is now spreading to new overseas markets.

The self entitled album, supercell, debuted in Japan from Sony Music Direct in 2009, selling more than 150,000 copies. Same year, the group performed the ending theme song for the 2009 anime series Bakemonogatari. In March 2010, Supercell received the award for “The Best 5 New Artists” at the 2010 Japan Gold Disc Awards, a major record industry awards event. The Supercell track, “Kocchi Muite Baby,” created by Ryo and featuring vocals by Hatsune Miku, peaked at No. 11 on Billboard Japan’s Hot Singles Chart last July.

J!NX: Introducing Minecraftopia.com

from J!NX:

A New Resource Site from the Minds of J!NX
We’re proud to unveil our latest creation! The J!NX dev crew (skydog, brolo, three11 and fooknasty) made this as 4 Minecraft fans. Take a look and let us know what you think. 🙂

Minecraftopia provides a world of information about Minecraft items and crafting recipes. We focused on delivering the essential data players are looking for, packed into a fun, fast and easy to use website.

New to Minecraft? Check out our handy dandy Quick Start Guide to get a little acclimated to the game, as well as successfully survive your first night.

Never played Minecraft before? You can try it here for free!

Capture Digital “Dragon Ball” Manga for 20% Off with New VIZ Manga App Promotion

from VIZ Media:

VIZ Media announces a special invitation to manga fans and followers of the popular Dragon Ball series with news of a brand new VIZ Manga App promotion that offers digital versions of the classic action adventure story for the Apple iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch for only $3.99 — 20% off the normal MSRP. The promotion starts today for a limited time only and ends on Monday, May 16th at midnight PST.

Creator Akira Toriyama’s classic manga series, Dragon Ball (rated ‘T’ for Teens), introduces a young monkey-tailed boy named Goku (a wry update of the classic Chinese “Monkey King” legend), whose quiet life changes when he meets a girl named Bulma who is on a quest to collect seven “Dragon Balls.” If she gathers them all, an incredibly powerful dragon will appear and grant her one wish. She’s on a mission to find the seven orbs, but first she must convince young Goku to join her on her quest. With a monkey tail, super-human strength, and a magic staff for a weapon, Goku’s ready to set out on the adventure of a lifetime…

Renowned worldwide for his playful, innovative storytelling and humorous, distinctive art style, Akira Toriyama burst onto the manga scene in 1980 with the wildly popular Dr. Slump. His hit series Dragon Ball (published in the U.S. as Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z) ran from 1984 to 1995 in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump magazine, and is published in North America by VIZ Media. Toriyama is also known for his design work on video games such as Dragon Quest, Chrono Trigger, Tobal No. 1, and most recently, Blue Dragon. His recent manga works include Cowa! (also published by VIZ Media), Kajika, Sand Land, Neko Majin, and a children’s book, Toccio the Angel.

The VIZ Manga App is the leading application to read Japanese manga on the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad. The app is free to download through the iTunes store, and volumes are generally available for purchase and download in the U.S. and Canada for only $4.99 (U.S. / CAN) each. An extensive library of almost 200 volumes is available now, including popular series such as Bleach, Blue Exorcist, Death Note, Naruto, One Piece and many more. Readers are encouraged to check the app regularly, as new additions to the store and free Chapter 1 previews of other forthcoming manga series are featured.

For more information on the VIZ Manga App, please visit VIZ.com/apps/.

Free Comic Book Day Is This Weekend!

from Free Comic Book Day:

The plans are set and the FREE comic books are waiting for you — FCBD 2011 is finally this weekend — Saturday, May 7th!

Go check out the official site to find the latest info and your closest participating shop!

The official FCBD Shop Locator

PLUS, check out these other links:

J!NX: New “StarCraft” Tees

from J!NX:

Lock and Load with New StarCraft II Tees
Hark, the drums of war once again beat out the rhythm of impending battle. Will you greet the onslaught eagerly, anxious to add more victory notches to your belt, or sit back and wait amongst your reinforcements? Either way, be sure to look your best while doing so by picking up some of the newest line of Starcraft II apparel. Rep your chosen race with pride in one of the new Terran, Protoss or Zerg tees, or, show that you’re ready for anything with the new Random Race design. Let them know that you came to play; Diamond and Platinum League shirts now available!

While checking out the new collection, snag some of our favorite StarCraft Tees for $5 off.

VIZ Media Celebrates 25th Anniversary

from VIZ Media:

VIZ Media, the largest distributor of anime and manga in the North America, will celebrate its 25th Anniversary on July 7th, 2011.  Over its 25 year history, VIZ Media has led the transformation of manga and anime from a niche category sold only at specialty retailers into a mass media phenomenon popularized on Cartoon Network, Hulu and iTunes, and available at Barnes & Noble and Walmart. Today, VIZ Media is North America’s largest distributor of anime and manga, and is leading the global anime and manga industries to their digital futures. To celebrate 25 years of pioneering new paths in global entertainment and publishing, later this year VIZ Media will be unveiling new properties, marketing programs, and distribution partnerships.

Since 1986, VIZ Media has primarily distributed titles exclusively owned by its parent companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions Co., Ltd.. In 2011, VIZ Media will diversify its award-winning library further by licensing properties from other global content creators as well as creating its own content. On the digital front, VIZ Media has created partnerships with Apple, Hulu, Netflix, Google and more, leading the way to new paths for distribution of manga and anime.

“For 25 years, VIZ Media has been telling stories that resonate with audiences and fans all over North America,” said Hidemi Fukuhara, President and CEO of VIZ Media. “Even after two-and-a-half decades of explosive growth, we still see tremendous potential to adapt, grow and leverage our library of world-renowned and beloved characters. With a full slate of new anime and manga releases planned this year, VIZ Media has something for everyone.”

The VIZ Media library includes global blockbuster franchises like Naruto, InuYasha, Pokémon, Dragon Ball Z, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Bleach, Vampire Knight, and Death Note. VIZ Media’s manga titles are available at mass retailers everywhere, and through VIZ Media’s free VIZ Manga App for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch, the first manga-dedicated app in North America. VIZ Media anime titles can be seen on Disney XD, Cartoon Network and Adult Swim, is available for Download-to-Own/Download-to-Rent via iTunes, PlayStation Network, Amazon Instant Video and Zune on Xbox LIVE, and for streaming on the company’s own VIZAnime.com, Hulu and Netflix, and is available for purchase on DVD at mass DVD retailers.

“Star Wars: The Complete Saga” on Blu-ray

"Star Wars: The Complete Saga" on Blu-ray

from Lucasfilm:

Bring home the adventure and share Star Wars with your whole family — when Star Wars: The Complete Saga comes to Blu-ray Disc from Lucasfilm Ltd. and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment! To be released beginning on September 12 internationally and on September 16 in North America, the nine-disc collection brings the wonder of the entire Saga direct to your living room, where you can revisit all of your favorite Star Wars moments — in gorgeous high definition and with pristine, 6.1 DTS Surround Sound. Dive deeper into the universe with an unprecedented 40+ hours of special features, highlighted by never-before-seen content sourced from the Lucasfilm archives.

The comprehensive collection also features numerous deleted, extended and alternate scenes, new documentaries and a cross-section of the countless Star Wars spoofs that have appeared in pop culture over the past three decades. Marking the first time ever that the full Saga is available in one complete collection, Star Wars: The Complete Saga on Blu-ray also features a coveted peek into the making of the Saga with vintage documentaries, audio commentaries, behind-the-scenes moments, interviews, prop and costume turnarounds, retrospectives and more.

Episodes I-III and IV-VI will also be available as distinct Blu-ray Trilogy collections.

Fans will get an exclusive first look at some of the collection’s extensive special features at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con International — which marks Lucasfilm’s 35th anniversary as a Comic-Con presence. In 1976, the fledgling film company was looking for innovative, grass-roots ways to promote its underdog release, a film no one expected to succeed — a space opera known (at the time) only as Star Wars. One of the first film companies to reach out directly to core audiences by way of fan conventions, Lucasfilm will return to the venue to showcase the full evolution of the epic story with a special first look at Star Wars: The Complete Saga on Blu-ray.

Special Features:
Star Wars: The Complete Saga on Blu-ray is presented in widescreen with 6.1 DTS Surround Sound. Special features include:

Disc One — Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
o Audio Commentary with George Lucas, Rick McCallum, Ben Burtt, Rob Coleman, John Knoll, Dennis Muren and Scott Squires
o Audio Commentary from Archival Interviews with Cast and Crew

Disc Two — Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
o Audio Commentary with George Lucas, Rick McCallum, Ben Burtt, Rob Coleman, Pablo Helman, John Knoll and Ben Snow
o Audio Commentary from Archival Interviews with Cast and Crew

Disc Three — Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
o Audio Commentary with George Lucas, Rick McCallum, Rob Coleman, John Knoll and Roger Guyett
o Audio Commentary from Archival Interviews with Cast and Crew

Disc Four — Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
o Audio Commentary with George Lucas, Carrie Fisher, Ben Burtt and Dennis Muren
o Audio Commentary from Archival Interviews with Cast and Crew

Disc Five — Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
o Audio Commentary with George Lucas, Irvin Kershner, Carrie Fisher, Ben Burtt and Dennis Muren
o Audio Commentary from Archival Interviews with Cast and Crew

Disc Six — Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
o Audio Commentary with George Lucas, Carrie Fisher, Ben Burtt and Dennis Muren
o Audio Commentary from Archival Interviews with Cast and Crew

Disc Seven — New! Star Wars Archives: Episodes I-III
o Including: deleted, extended and alternate scenes; prop, maquette and costume turnarounds; concept art; supplementary interviews with cast and crew; a flythrough of the Lucasfilm Archives and more

Disc Eight — New! Star Wars Archives: Episodes IV-VI
o Including: deleted, extended and alternate scenes; prop, maquette and costume turnarounds; matte paintings and concept art; supplementary interviews with cast and crew; and more

Disc Nine — The Star Wars Documentaries
o New! Star Warriors (2007, Color, Apx. 84 Minutes) — Some Star Wars fans want to collect action figures… these fans want to be action figures! A tribute to the 501st Legion, a global organization of Star Wars costume enthusiasts, this insightful documentary shows how the super-fan club promotes interest in the films through charity and volunteer work at fundraisers and high-profile special events around the world.
o New! A Conversation with the Masters: The Empire Strikes Back 30 Years Later (2010, Color, Apx. 25 Minutes) — George Lucas, Irvin Kershner, Lawrence Kasdan and John Williams look back on the making of The Empire Strikes Back in this in-depth retrospective from Lucasfilm created to help commemorate the 30th anniversary of the movie. The masters discuss and reminisce about one of the most beloved films of all time.
o New! Star Wars Spoofs (2011, Color, Apx. 91 Minutes) — The farce is strong with this one! Enjoy a hilarious collection of Star Wars spoofs and parodies that have been created over the years, including outrageous clips from Family Guy, The Simpsons, How I Met Your Mother and more — and don’t miss “Weird Al” Yankovic’s one-of-a-kind music video tribute to The Phantom Menace!
The Making of Star Wars (1977, Color, Apx. 49 Minutes) — Learn the incredible behind-the-scenes story of how the original Star Wars movie was brought to the big screen in this fascinating documentary hosted by C-3PO and R2-D2. Includes interviews with George Lucas and appearances by Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher.
The Empire Strikes Back: SPFX (1980, Color, Apx. 48 Minutes) — Learn the secrets of making movies in a galaxy far, far away. Hosted by Mark Hamill, this revealing documentary offers behind-the-scenes glimpses into the amazing special effects that transformed George Lucas’ vision for Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back into reality!
Classic Creatures: Return of the Jedi (1983, Color, Apx. 48 Minutes) — Go behind the scenes — and into the costumes — as production footage from Return of the Jedi is interspersed with vintage monster movie clips in this in-depth exploration of the painstaking techniques utilized by George Lucas to create the classic creatures and characters seen in the film. Hosted and narrated by Carrie Fisher and Billy Dee Williams.
Anatomy of a Dewback (1997, Color, Apx. 26 Minutes) — See how some of the special effects in Star Wars became even more special two decades later! George Lucas explains and demonstrates how his team transformed the original dewback creatures from immovable rubber puppets (in the original 1977 release) to seemingly living, breathing creatures for the Star Wars 1997 Special Edition update.
Star Wars Tech (2007, Color, Apx. 46 Minutes) — Exploring the technical aspects of Star Wars vehicles, weapons and gadgetry, Star Wars Tech consults leading scientists in the fields of physics, prosthetics, lasers, engineering and astronomy to examine the plausibility of Star Wars technology based on science as we know it today.

About Star Wars:
The May 25, 1977 theatrical debut of Star Wars — on a scant 32 screens across America — was destined to change the face of cinema forever. An instant classic and an unparalleled box office success, the rousing “space opera” was equal parts fairy tale, western, 1930s serial and special effects extravaganza, with roots in mythologies from cultures around the world. From the mind of visionary writer/director George Lucas, the epic space fantasy introduced the mystical Force into the cultural vocabulary, as well as iconic characters such as evil Darth Vader, idealistic Luke Skywalker, feisty Princess Leia, lovable scoundrel Han Solo and wise Obi-Wan Kenobi. Since its 1977 debut, Star Wars has continued to grow, its lush narrative expanding from modest beginnings into an epic, six-film Saga chronicling the fall and redemption of The Chosen One, Anakin Skywalker.

Nintendo Unveils New Wii Package and “Nintendo Selects” Games with New Suggested Retail Pricing

from Nintendo of Canada:

Nintendo is dropping the suggested retail price of its Wii system to $149.99 and including a Mario game with the Wii hardware. Starting May 15, the newly priced Wii system will come in either black or white with the Mario Kart Wii game and a matching coloured Wii Wheel accessory, replacing the previously included Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort games.

Also on May 15, Nintendo launches the new Nintendo Selects collection of Wii games, a set of popular games that millions of people have already experienced, at a suggested retail price of $19.99. The four must-own games in this collection are The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Animal Crossing: City Folk, Mario Super Sluggers and Wii Sports, which is available for the first time as a separate software purchase. Parents and video game fans can now easily expand their library of fun, family-friendly Wii games.

“From the day it launched, Wii has let players of all ages and experience levels have fun with one another,” said Ron Bertram, Nintendo of Canada’s vice-president and general manager. “The new suggested retail pricing for both the hardware and select games will help create more of these magical moments for even greater numbers of people.”

With Mario Kart Wii now included with the Wii hardware, players will be able to enjoy fun go-kart racing with Mario and all his Mushroom Kingdom pals right out of the box. The Wii Remote Plus controller, Nunchuk controller and Wii Wheel included in the package will all match the hardware, meaning they will be either black or white. The new black Wii Wheel will also be available separately at a suggested retail price of $9.99.

Remember that Wii features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other features, visit wii.com.

TIE Fighter Pilot MIMOBOT Now Available

from Mimoco:

NEW! Star Wars MIMOBOT! The limited-edition TIE Fighter character joins fellow Star Wars MIMOBOT USB character flash drives in honor of the unofficial May 4th Star Wars holiday! Shop Now!

Video Premiere: TIE Fighter Pilot Premiere! Watch our latest animation — Join the Empire with MIMOBOT — Recruitment video now!

STUFF WE LIKE! Android Mini Collectible Series 02! Shop Now!

VIZ Manga App Presents Four New Manga Titles for iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch

from VIZ Media:

VIZ Media has announced four new manga (graphic novel) series that will be offered for digital download within the VIZ Manga App for the Apple iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch. The latest update offers two acclaimed works from celebrated manga creator Natsume Ono — House of Five Leaves and not simple — that are available now. Two additional new series — Maou: Juvenile Remix and Hyde & Closer — will debut for digital download on May 9th and May 16th respectively. Updates for the first half of May to 17 other popular manga series have also been announced.

The VIZ Manga App is now available for free for the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch through the iTunes Store, and all manga volumes are generally available for purchase and download in the U.S. and Canada from within the application for only $4.99 (U.S. / CAN) per volume.

In Natsume Ono’s House of Five Leaves (rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens), a wandering samurai, Akitsu Masanosuke, is a skilled and loyal swordsman, but his naïve and diffident nature has time and again caused him to be let go by the lords who have employed him. Hungry and desperate, he becomes a bodyguard for Yaichi, the charismatic leader of a gang called “Five Leaves.” Although disturbed by the gang’s sinister activities, Masa begins to suspect that Yaichi’s motivations are not what they seem. And despite his misgivings, the deeper he’s drawn into the world of the Five Leaves, the more he finds himself fascinated by these devious, mysterious outlaws.

Natusume Ono’s not simple (rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens) tells the story of Ian, a young man with a fractured family history, who travels from Australia to England to America in the hope of realizing his dreams and reuniting with his beloved sister. His story unfolds backwards through the framing narrative of Jim, a reporter driven to capture Ian’s experiences in a novel titled not simple.

Don’t miss Natsume Ono’s rare U.S. personal appearance at Kinokuniya Books in New York City on Tuesday, May 10th starting at 7:00pm.

Manga creator Megumi Osuga’s Maou: Juvenile Remix (rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens) features a boy with special powers who may be the key to stopping the spread of crime, big money and urban sprawl in a story of confrontation and determination. Ando is a high school student who has the power to make others say out loud what he’s thinking. Inukai is the mysterious leader of a vigilante group called Grasshopper, which is at odds with the city’s redevelopment plan. In this chaotic city, these two will come together to weave a story of courage.

The fantasy driven action of creator Haro Aso’s Hyde & Closer introduces readers to Shunpei Closer, your average… well, slightly below average kid in junior high who finds himself in the middle of a great battle of dark sorcery. With cursed dolls coming after him one after another, Shunpei Closer’s life is in danger! If that weren’t enough, Hyde, the teddy bear given to him by his grandfather, suddenly comes alive to rescue him. With Hyde’s help, can Shunpei save himself and live to see another day?

Additional new VIZ Media manga volumes available the weeks of May 2nd, May 9th and May 16th include:

May 2nd:
Absolute Boyfriend Vol. 3
Captive Hearts Vol. 5
Death Note Vol. 12
Dragon Ball Z Vol. 7
Kekkaishi Vol. 3
Naruto Vol. 24
One Piece Vol. 24
Rosario + Vampire Vol. 5
Rurouni Kenshin Vol. 12

May 9th:
Black Bird Vol. 3
Bleach Vol. 14
Claymore Vol. 9
D.Gray-man Vol. 10
Dragon Ball Z Vol. 8
Fushigi Yûgi Genbu Kaiden Vol. 2
Naruto Vol. 25
One Piece Vol. 25
Ouran High School Host Club Vol. 6

May 16th:
Absolute Boyfriend Vol. 4
Dragon Ball Z Vol. 9
Kekkaishi Vol. 4
Naruto Vol. 26
Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan Vol. 2
One Piece Vol. 26
Otomen Vol. 6
Rosario + Vampire Vol. 6
Rurouni Kenshin Vol. 13

The VIZ Manga App is the leading application to read Japanese manga on the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch, with an extensive downloadable library of the most popular manga series in the world. The app now offers almost 200 volumes available for download. Readers are encouraged to check the app regularly, as new additions to the store and free Chapter 1 previews of other forthcoming manga series are featured.

For more information on the VIZ Manga App, please visit VIZ.com/apps/.